Tag Archive for: Juddmonte

Arrest out to collar Sandown’s Classic Trial

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Arrest is given the opportunity to earn himself a shot at Derby glory when he makes his seasonal debut in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown.

The Group Three contest has proved a key pointer to the world’s most famous Flat race in the last couple of years, with 2021 runner-up Adayar going one better at Epsom and last season’s winner Westover finishing a luckless third in the Derby before lifting the Irish equivalent.

Like Westover, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Arrest is a son of the great Frankel and also carries the late Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte operation.

“We’re looking forward to seeing Arrest back in action, he’s in good nick and it’s a good starting point,” said Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon.

“It worked out well for us last year with Westover and hopefully history can repeat itself.”

Arrest certainly brings excellent credentials to the table in the 10-furlong contest, having won twice during his juvenile season before rounding off his campaign with a narrow defeat in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Frankie Dettori will be in the saddle on Friday, with the popular Italian still on the lookout for a ride in what will be his final Derby before retirement.

And with the forecast testing conditions not a major concern, Mahon is hopeful Arrest can advertise his Classic credentials.

He added: “He handled the heavy ground in France last year and I think it was pretty soft when he won at Ffos Las the time before. I think he’s pretty uncomplicated when it comes to ground conditions.

“The trials are all so tight and all so close to the big day, so I think if he was to go to a Derby, we’d probably do what we did last year with Westover and go straight there from Sandown.

“There’s a few nice types in the race, but our lad is ready to start and while I’m sure he’ll improve for the run, hopefully he’s fit enough to run well.”

Westover’s trainer Ralph Beckett bids for back-to-back wins with the promising Salt Bay.

Ralph Beckett has high hopes for Salt Bay
Ralph Beckett has high hopes for Salt Bay (Mike Egerton/PA)

An impressive winner on his Haydock debut in September, the Farhh colt subsequently finished third in the Criterium International and Beckett is excited ahead of his return.

“Salt Bay has trained well this spring and Sandown will suit. I’m looking forward to running him,” said the Andover-based trainer.

“I don’t think the trip will be an issue as he will probably get a mile and a half. It is a race we have thought about for a while for him.

“He is a generous worker and a very straightforward customer. I think he is a horse that will probably improve physically as he gets older as he is that type, but let’s hope he has improved enough over the winter to get competitive on Friday.

“Westover was much more experienced at this stage last year as he had already had three starts, whereas this fellow wouldn’t know quite as much, so the comparisons are unfair at this stage.”

Flying Honours won three of his five starts as a two-year-old for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, including the Group Three Zetland Stakes at Newmarket on his most recent appearance.

Appleby said on www.godolphin.com: “Flying Honours has enjoyed a good prep and this has been his aim for a while.

“He hasn’t raced on ground like this before although his pedigree suggests that he should be OK and, if it places an emphasis on stamina, it will be another plus for him.”

Salisbury novice victor Circle Of Life represents the King and the Queen Consort for the trainer-jockey combination of Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore, while Andrew Balding raises Relentless Voyager’s sights following a runaway success in an all-weather maiden at Kempton last month.

‘Little setback’ scuppers Nostrum’s Guineas hopes

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Nostrum will not run in the Qipco 2000 Guineas having been ruled out of the early part of the season with a setback.

Sir Michael Stoute’s talented colt was unbeaten in his first two starts as a juvenile, including when impressing in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket in September, and was last seen finishing third to fellow Juddmonte-owned Classic contender Chaldean in the Dewhurst Stakes.

Those performances saw Nostrum priced as short as 8-1 for opening Classic of the summer, but the son of Kingman will miss out on an early-season return to the Rowley Mile for the Guineas on May 6 and is also ruled out of appearing in the French and Irish equivalents – with connections tentatively highlighting a Royal Ascot date in June.

“Nostrum has had a little setback and he will not run in any of the Guineas,” said Barry Mahon, racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“He’s had a little setback and he just needs a couple of weeks going easy, then hopefully we will have him back for the middle of the summer.

“We’ll just let him tell us. I suppose we will aim for Royal Ascot and if we get there great, but if we don’t, then we will just give him more time.”

Laurel booked for Snowdrop assignment

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Sun Chariot runner-up Laurel is to make her return to action in the Racing TV Snowdrop Fillies’ Stakes at Kempton on Easter Monday.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the Juddmonte-owned four-year-old made giant strides last season having not made her debut until the end of July.

She won that day at Kempton and returned there in September to defy a penalty before stepping straight into Group One company at Newmarket, beating all bar Fonteyn.

“Laurel is a lovely filly and looks great at the moment. She’s going to start off at Kempton in the Snowdrop on Monday week,” said Juddmonte’s Barry Mahon.

“She’s in good form and hopefully she’ll have a good year. She’ll have no penalty at Kempton, she handles the all-weather having won there twice and we’ll try to get her season up and going.

“She’s not a stakes winner yet, so the aim will be to make her a stakes winner and then progress throughout the year.”

Another lightly-raced Juddmonte filly who made giant strides last season was Ralph Beckett’s Haskoy.

She was another to win her first two outings, the second a Listed race at York, before being stepped up in distance and class for the St Leger in which she crossed the line second before being placed fourth due to causing interference.

Haskoy (right) just got the better of fellow Juddmonte-owned filly Time Lock at York
Haskoy (right) just got the better of fellow Juddmonte-owned filly Time Lock at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

“She’s in great form, I saw her on Wednesday at Ralph’s. She had a nice break during the winter when she came back to the farm,” said Mahon.

“We probably threw her in at the deep end a little bit going for a St Leger on just her third start, so we gave her a good break and she went back to Ralph in January.

“She’s probably a little way off a run, I’d say you wouldn’t see her for six or seven weeks yet but she’s done well and she’s a filly we’re looking forward to this year.

“I think we’ll be starting her over a mile and a half. She won the Galtres over that trip at York so we know she’s effective at that distance.

“We’ve got Westover for the Coronation Cup I suppose but she’s a nice filly, we know she stays but I don’t know she needs to be going over any further than a mile and six (furlongs), the weakest part of her race in the Leger was probably the last 50 yards.

“She’s definitely an exciting filly though, her and the filly that was second at York, Time Lock. They are two good four-year-olds to go to war with.”

Westover team positive after fine effort behind magical Equinox

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Connections of Westover are excited to see what the rest of the year has in store after finishing best of the rest behind the brilliant Equinox at Meydan last weekend.

Third in last year’s Derby at Epsom before a dominant victory in the Irish equivalent, the Ralph Beckett-trained Westover disappointed in the King George at Ascot in July before rounding off his campaign with sixth place in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Juddmonte-owned son of Frankel was making his four-year-old debut in Saturday’s Dubai Sheema Classic – and while he was reported to be a little over enthusiastic in his preparation, he proved his ability remains very much intact by filling the runner-up spot behind the devastating Japanese winner.

“We were very, very happy with what was his first run of the year after a long time off the track – you couldn’t have asked for much more,” said Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon.

“Equinox looks a very good horse, to be fair. He looked very fit beforehand and won in the manner of an exceptionally good horse. I think we’ll be trying to stay away from him wherever he goes!

“I think it was well documented that Westover didn’t settle in get over there. With it being his first run of the year, he was a bit full of himself and got a lit up there during the week. On his first morning out on the track, he got a bit of a head of steam up and ended up doing a lap too many!

“We were a little nervous going into Saturday, but luckily it all worked out well and he ran a blinding race and that should settle him down and set him up for what will hopefully be a good season.”

Westover holds an entry in the 10-furlong Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on May 28, while the following weekend’s Coronation Cup at Epsom over a mile and a half is an obvious alternative.

Mahon is in no rush to commit to future plans at this stage, but is hopeful he can prove effective over both distances in his search for further top-level honours.

He added: “The Tattersalls Gold Cup might come a bit soon for him, but we’ll see. I’d imagine he’ll get an entry in the Coronation, too.

“A couple of weeks later you have the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud as well, so all those races are going to be under consideration and it just depends which one he’s peaking for at the time.

“I don’t think he’d have that much problem over 10 furlongs. He won his Derby trial last year over 10 and if you stopped the Irish Derby at the 10-furlong marker, it was well and truly over at that stage.

“I think he definitely has enough speed for 10 furlongs, so I think mix it up through the year between 10 and 12 and hopefully we can win another Group One or a couple of them if we’re lucky.”

Chaldean to prep for 2000 Guineas bid in Greenham

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Leading 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean will tune up for his tilt at the opening Classic of the season in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes next month.

Andrew Balding’s son of Frankel is the general third-favourite behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear for the Newmarket showpiece (May 6) on the back of an impeccable juvenile season.

Although only fifth at Newbury on debut, he soon returned to the Berkshire track to set the record straight before picking up a further three victories at two – ending the year by claiming Group One honours on the Rowley Mile in the Dewhurst Stakes in October.

Chaldean (right) ridden by Frankie Dettori on way to winning Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse
Chaldean (right) ridden by Frankie Dettori on way to winning Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse (Tim Goode/PA)

It will again be Newbury where Chaldean starts his campaign and owners Juddmonte will be hoping the super-talented colt can uphold their fine record in the seven-furlong Group Three having seen both the imperious Frankel (2011) and Kingman (2014) taste success in the renowned Guineas trial in recent times.

“I spoke to Andrew (Balding) this morning and he was very happy with him,” said Barry Mahon, Juddmonte’s racing manager.

“He said he worked nicely on Saturday and all being well he is set to take his place in the Greenham and then we will see where we go from there.”

Chaldean was ridden by Frankie Dettori in his final two starts of last season and the Italian will be given the opportunity to maintain the duo’s unbeaten partnership if returning from his winter spell in California in time for one final crack at the Rowley Mile’s early-season feature.

“If Frankie comes back from America in time then he will ride him,” continued Mahon.

“When we were all in the parade ring after the Dewhurst we sort of made that agreement and the Abdullah family are happy to stick by it. So as long as he doesn’t get a ride in the Kentucky Derby, I’m sure he will be back to ride him.

Frankie Dettori performs a flying dismount after winning the Darley Dewhurst Stakes on Chaldean at Newmarket
Frankie Dettori performs a flying dismount after winning the Darley Dewhurst Stakes on Chaldean at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

“It would be great as he has been such a phenomenal man for the sport. He’s been one of the best jockeys in the world for the past 20 years so it would be great to see him going out on a high and getting a few Group One winners during his last summer.”

Sir Michael Stoute’s Nostrum is another high-class prospect in the famous pink and green silks of Juddmonte for connections to get excited about as the Flat turf season draws ever near.

Only seen three times last term, the Kingman colt was a taking winner of the Tattersalls Stakes over the 2000 Guineas course and distance in September before his inexperience cost him when third behind Chaldean over a furlong less in the Dewhurst.

The likeable bay holds entries in the Newmarket, Irish and French Guineas and Mahon suggest he could make his reappearance in one of those, sure to be, red-hot assignments.

“Michael is very happy with Nostrum, he’s ticking along nicely,” added Mahon.

“He hasn’t really set any targets for him yet and I don’t think he will run in a trial. He could go straight to a Guineas, but we haven’t decided which one yet.”

Chaldean will be Dettori’s ride if he wants it, say Juddmonte

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The Juddmonte team are keeping everything crossed that leading 2000 Guineas contender Chaldean can give Frankie Dettori a Classic winner in his final year before retirement.

The popular Italian teamed up with Andrew Balding’s Frankel colt twice in the autumn, steering him to success in both the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and the Dewhurst at Newmarket.

Speaking on a Zoom call to reveal the classifications for last season’s two-year-old crop, Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon confirmed Dettori will keep the ride on Chaldean, whose rating of 119 makes him the joint second-highest rated juvenile of 2022 along with Blackbeard.

Little Big Bear was crowned Europe’s champion juvenile with a mark of 124.

“He’s definitely Frankie’s ride if he wants him and he’s available and hasn’t any other commitments,” said Mahon.

“I spoke with Andrew last week about it and he was of the same mind that Frankie seemed to click well with the horse and in their two starts they built up a good rapport, so we definitely wouldn’t look to be changing anything there unless Frankie has a commitment anywhere else.

“Frankie has been a phenomenal jockey for so many years. He’s been phenomenal for the sport and is loved and adored all around the world.

“We’re very much looking forward to the next 12 months. Hopefully we’ll be able to retain his services plenty as we’ve a few nice horses in the Gosdens and elsewhere and Frankie is always top of our list when he’s available.

“Hopefully he has a good season and goes off into retirement on a good note.”

Nostrum is another exciting prospect
Nostrum is another exciting prospect (Mike Egerton/PA)

Chaldean is one of two leading Guineas contenders for Juddmonte along with Sir Michael Stoute’s Nostrum, who was beaten two and a half lengths into third place in the Dewhurst.

While Mahon is not ruling out the possibility of the pair renewing rivalry over the Rowley Mile in the 2000 Guineas, connections could instead opt to split their aces.

He added: “It’s a nice position to be in having a number of nice two-year-olds heading into the winter and looking forward to their three-year-old campaigns.

“I suppose we might be a bit far away to be making plans about keeping them apart. In an ideal world I suppose we would like to keep them apart, with possibly one running in the English Guineas and the other go to France or Ireland.

“But there’s a lot of work to be done yet and if something had a little setback along the way it would be nice to have a replacement to fill in for the English 2000 Guineas.

“I think we’ll aim for both of them to head towards Newmarket for the time being and get a bit closer and sit down with the Abdullah family and see what they’d like to do.

“In fairness they were gallant enough to let both of them run in the Dewhurst, which was a brave call, and it was the right call in hindsight.

“Maybe it’s the case that they would like both of them to run (at Newmarket).”

A horse viewed as a possible Derby runner for the team is John and Thady Gosden’s Arrest.

Placed behind Nostrum on his introduction, he went on to win his next two starts before being narrowly denied by Dubai Mile in the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Mahon said: “John and Thady were always very bullish about him from July onwards. I happened to be there in July and they said to me that he was the colt that was standing out to them at the time.

“He’s a very nice horse and ran a good race on his debut, the form of which has worked out very well with Nostrum finishing in front of him, and then he went on and won his two novices nicely.

“It was a big jump up from him at Saint-Cloud. He was a very immature horse and unfortunately the ground that day was horrendous – the jockeys said it was as deep as you would ever get ground.

“He ran a good race and I think his weakness maybe caught him out in the last 50 yards when Mark Johnston’s horse came past him.

“He’ll start off in a Derby trial and could go to Sandown and follow the Westover route from last year – Sandown, Epsom and the Curragh.

“He’s a nice prospect and I hope he can make up into a nice middle-distance three-year-old.”

Mahon also gave mention to two maiden winners who have not yet tested their powers at the highest level, but could do before the year is out.

He added: “We have a filly called Bluestocking who won her maiden at Salisbury for Ralph Beckett, she’s a filly we like a lot. She’s very much a three-year-old type and being by Camelot she’s bred to want 10 or 12 furlongs.

“Then there is a filly called Coppice for John and Thady Gosden. She won her maiden first time out on the all-weather and she’s a sister to Calyx.

“I think John and Thady are taking her along nice and slow. It all depends how she winters and how she is in the spring, but I think if John and Thady feel that she’s in good form and her work is forward enough, there’s every chance she’ll start off in a Guineas trial.

“If she’s a little bit slow to come to hand we’ll be conservative and might go for a novice and aim towards bigger prizes in the summer, rather than pushing her to go to the Guineas.

“I think she’ll stay well. She broke her maiden over seven furlongs and hit the line very strong that day, so I don’t think she’ll have any problem with the mile.”